The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-06-12
The Mormon Complication.

Tucker anti-polygamy bill. MANY Gen.
tiles claim that 1t is not strong enough
and the Utah Loyal League have drawn
up an amended oath for the consldera-
ton OF the commission. The refusal Of
the latter TO accept the amendments OF
the League was Endorsed by the Repub-
/ hcan, both on legal and public grounds
and "a consequence the GENTLE papers
notably the Salt Lake Tribune
been pouring out columns of billings
gaze; while private communities tons
have supplemented the intensity of this
| irritation.
In another column will be found what
Judge A. b. Carlton, chairman of the
| Utah Commission, has to say in expla-
nation OF the course of the board, as
| well as letter from John Witbeck, de-
putty registrar for the Nephi Precinct.
Mr.. WItbeck fails to say that he is regis.
| trar no longer, and that he was not
| holding that position when he wrote his
letter. He had flung out his flag of de-
hance to the com mission, and had pre-
scrlbed an additional oath given by the
citizens committee. He was at ice re-
moved from Office, and the local branch
of the Loyal League held Ell lg and
applauded his course in set resolutions,
which contained this PASSAGE
! The ieague does not lndorse his action
| simply because he failed to follow the in
structions of the commission, buG because
we believe that it is absolutely necess try
| that there should be as stringent construc-
| ton put upon the oath as the law will allow
| We also extend our sympathies to all
deputy registrars that have been or that
may be removed for the same offense.
The Utah Loyal League thus engaged
in obstructing the workings of the
anti polygamy law, is composed of
some OF the most influential Gentiles
| in the Territory. The situation is so
serious and unfortunate that We are
justified in going somewhat fully into
the case. From our standpoint it
would seem that the Mormon Church
could afford to pay the running ex-
penses OF the League. Papers like the
Salt Lake Tribune aid the work OF
culpable obstruction by remarks like
this:-
We think the experience of the next few
months viii be sufficient to convince even
Senetor Edmunds that if he expects to see
the laws enforced here and accepted ac-
cording to his plan, it will be only through
his spiritual eyes as ne may look down or
up, as the case may be, af-er he gets through
with this sphere.
This question must be looked at from
legal and political standpoint before
proper conclusions can be reached. Ac-
cording to the law of Congress every
male person as condition-precedent
to his right to register as a voter is re-
quired to take an oath that he will sup
port the Constitution of the United
States, and especially the anti-polyg-
amy law of 1882, and that he will not
directly or indirectly aid OF abet, coun-
sci or advise any other person to COM
NIT any of said crimes :" and it is en-
acted that mo person who shall have
been convicted of any crime under this
act, or under the act of Congress afore-
said. approved March %. 1882, or who
shall be a polygamist, or who
shall associate or cohabit polyg-
amously with persons of the other
sex, shall be entitled. to vote in any
election in said territory" The COM
mission thereupon drew up an oath for
the information OF the registrars, fol-
lowing very closely this phraseology.
will obey the acts of Congress pro-
hibiting polygamy, bigamy, unlawful
cohabitation," etc.. that he will not
cohabit with more than one WIFE" or
directly or indirectly aid or abet,
counsel or advise any person to have or
take more wives than one" and that he
is mot bigamist or polygamist." Now,
the point raised by the Utah Loyal
League is that a Mormon may take
this oath and yet, after voting, may
become polygamist, without violating
his oath. All that need be said is that
the League does not understand the
English language.
But that is not all or the Leagues
programme. The amendments pro-
posed by the League to the Commits
sions oath contained the passage:
81 will no. hereafter in any Ter
ritory of the United STATES, at
any time, in obedience to any
alleged revelation or to any counsel,
advice or command from any source
whatever, or under any circumstances,
enter into polygamy or polygamous
marriage" Here is clear invasion OF
the field of doubt, as it unnecessarily
gious belief. ALLEGED revelation" Is
the language of polemics and not law;
and, moreover, Congress has said ex-
plicitly that no person otherwise Q gi-
bic, shall be excluded from the polls !
ION account of any opinion such person |
nay entertain on the subject of bigamy |
or poIygamy.' Here, then, is question |
whether in this oath of the Loyal
League new legislation is not attempted.
Suppose the commission had accepted |
the talleged revelation clause and
the issue had been joined in the federal
the door would be opened to
three years or more litigation, res
possibility which officers holding a
public trust would not care to assume.
But there is something more back of
the Loyal League than this. The spec
ter of statehood walks on the Utah
horizon. Mormon and GENTLE alike see
it, and it is not far off either. A de-
fender of the Loyal League recently
quoted q Nc rmon woman as saying IN
reference to her testimony in poly
gsmy case.-''I only lied to the Gentle
God. I did not lie to the No mon
God" And Mr.. Witbeck admits tnat
the Mormons would swallow a mule.
Then why do these men make their
fight on the phraseology Of test oath
if the Mormons are ready to swallow
ANYTHING in order to retain their poiitl-
Cal power? Perhaps the following let
ter from Kate Field to the Republican,
NAV best reflect the sentiment OF tae
honest fighters of immortality in Utah;